You Got Chocolate in My Peanut Butter

Collaboration is a risk. And, just like any other, it needs to be managed.

There are a lot of potential obstacles and pitfalls associated with collaborating, so sometimes it seems easier to just proceed individually. But, failing to take a chance on collaboration is a risk improperly managed.

That is not to say that it is always the best way to accomplish a goal. Collaboration is a method of problem-solving – an option that’s intended to facilitate progress and improve results by combining the strengths and knowledge-bases of contributors. It should not be a burden or detriment to a project, and we should feel ok about choosing not to collaborate if that’s what’s best for the project at hand. There’s no reason that collaborating should be a bad experience – we can all learn to do it well, and the potential benefits of collaboration can mean the difference between success and failure.

So how do we manage the risk?

In order to collaborate successfully, we first need to….well, collaborate. Stay with me! In order to work well together, we must all commit to being or becoming a good collaborator – for the sake of our shared goal, and to maintain our relationships. Especially when working with others, it’s important to be aware that the actions taken to reach a goal are all choices. We have the ability to choose, and we can choose to be better. We can agree to work toward improving the skills necessary for effective teamwork. And while there are many skills needed for successful collaboration, they can all be learned, monitored, and improved by anyone.

When we all come together in the interest of successful collaboration, the risk is mitigated. Learning together (with and from each other) is the first step.

Participants will have the opportunity to practice successful behaviors immediately, and develop a plan to carry them through to their daily interactions. Don’t miss the chance to make collaboration an accessible and celebrated tool in your organization – get started today with Skillful Collaboration!